The separation barrier Israel started building in the West Bank seven years ago amid a deadly wave of suicide bombings has been a lightning rod of controversy from day one.

Israel says the barrier is essential to its security. But Palestinians claim it to be a land grab and have been holding weekly demonstrations ever since.

The 680-kilometer (425-mile) barrier is a combination of concrete walls, fences, trenches and patrol roads. It runs along the line between Israel and the West Bank but in certain parts cuts into Palestinian territory, leaving almost 10 percent of the West Bank on the Israeli side.

The Palestinians say the barrier severs them from their land, disrupts their lives and cripples their economy. They have mounted a series of Supreme Court challenges to the barrier's route, forcing Israel to make adjustments.

The wall segment of the barrier has been a particular draw for protesters, who have sprayed it with anti-Israel graffiti. Artistic opposition has also found its way as far as the Tel Aviv beach, where bathers lay on fake slabs of concrete.